Staff all set to run for hospice

EIGHT staff members and 12 alumni from a high school in Cardiff have teamed up to run the Cardiff Half Marathon to raise £6,000 in memory of loved ones.

The team from Llanishen High School will be running today in aid of City Hospice.

City Hospice is the only provider of home-based specialist palliative care in the capital and provides care for patients with terminal or life-limiting illnesses, in addition to support services for its patients’ families.

The team will be spurred on by the memories of loved ones as they strive to complete the 13.1-mile course around the city, with the added layer of poignancy for some as the race falls on Mother’s Day this year.

Julie Purbrick, head of wellbeing at Llanishen High School, will be running in memory of two much-loved mothers and grandmothers in her life: her mam Ann Bartlett and sister Jacqui Walsh.

Mother-of-five Ann was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016. Her daughter Jacqui, Julie’s sister, became ill with leukaemia in 2020. Both Ann and Julie were cared for by the same City Hospice nurses during their time in the care of the charity.

Julie said: “The nurses who cared for them both were absolutely fantastic, nothing was ever too much trouble.”

City Hospice has continued to look after Julie and her family after Ann and Jacqui had passed away. Julie added: “I have benefited hugely from the charity’s counselling and reflexology services personally and the wider family has been supported by their bereavement service for which we are so grateful.”

As well as running with members of the school community, the Cardiff Half Marathon will be a family affair for Julie as her daughter Kaytee, a teaching assistant at Llanishen High School, will run alongside her.

Julie said: “Running the Cardiff Half this year is extra special because it falls on Mother’s Day. I’m so glad to have my daughter Kaytee run by my side as we remember and celebrate the lives of my mam and sister who were such loving mothers and grandmothers.

“We’re also delighted to be running with our colleagues and alumni from Llanishen High School. From the LHS to Patagonia challenge last year to Cardiff Half Marathon, it’s been incredible to see the school community come together to support City Hospice, our charity of the year.”